Zhejiang Province Bans Land Reclamation Projects

East China’s Zhejiang Province has issued a ban on new land reclamation projects to protect the marine environment, Xinhua reports.

According to a guideline issued by the provincial government, “apart from key national strategic projects, Zhejiang will stop approving new land reclamation projects and strengthen the protection of coastal wetlands.”

The Zhejiang Province’s government will also launch a probe into existing land reclamation projects, aiming to target real estate and low-standard tourism and recreational projects, as well as those that have polluted the marine environment, Xinhua said.

The ban came after a 2017 inspection by the State Oceanic Administration found improper and illegal land reclamation practices in 11 provincial-level coastal regions.

In January 2017, China introduced its toughest regulation on coastal land reclamation, vowing to demolish illegally reclaimed land and stop approving general reclamation projects.